Nearly 95% Of FEMA Group Site Residents Now In More Functional, Long-Term Housing
Within the last week, more than 500 households moved out of temporary housing units
Release Date: May 28, 2008
Release Number: 1603-793
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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Nearly three years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita displaced over 1.3 million Louisiana residents and destroyed a significant portion of the housing stock, most families have relocated out of their temporary trailers and returned to more suitable, functional and permanent housing. Of the 111 group trailer sites built by FEMA, which housed nearly 9,000 families, only six remain. Nearly 95 percent of the residents of group sites have either repaired their homes, purchased new ones, or rented apartments and houses.
Additionally, in Louisiana, FEMA provided temporary housing units to more than 91,000 households and today there are less than 16,000 households living in travel trailers and mobile homes. Approximately 85 percent of these remaining units are located on private sites.
"One of our primary housing goals has been to help residents still living in group sites move into more suitable housing by June 1-the beginning of hurricane season," said Jim Stark, Acting Associate Deputy Administrator for the Gulf Coast Recovery Office. "At this point, only six group sites remain open and fewer than 450 households are currently housed at those sites."
While a majority of group site residents have successfully transitioned into more functional and long-term housing, some of the remaining residents are experiencing challenges. FEMA officials understand this and have worked diligently to remove many of the barriers residents have faced in relocating.
"We're marshalling federal, state and voluntary agency resources to provide housing options," said Stark, "and we're working one-on-one with residents to fit these resources to their specific needs."
Some of the extensive support services available to residents of FEMA-provided housing units include:
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Caseworkers who are available to work with eligible residents on a one-on-one basis;
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Housing fairs;
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Temporary hotel stays for eligible applicants who move out of their units while continuing to search for permanent housing;
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Stipends and food vouchers for residents whose hotels do not have access to cooking facilities;
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Kenneling services for residents housed in hotels that do not allow pets;
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Temporary storage for the personal items of residents who are in the process of securing permanent housing.
For more information about available resources, residents may contact FEMA's Rental Resources Department at 1-888-294-2822.
In addition to the resources listed above, FEMA has partnered with the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP). DHAP provides eligible residents with temporary rental subsidies and intensive case management, the goal of which is to help residents transition to self-sufficiency and permanent housing. To make the transition from temporary housing units to DHAP as easy as possible, FEMA recently streamlined the process by eliminating a step that once required residents to first go through Corporate Lodging Consultants (CLC), the company contracted by FEMA to manage payments to landlords. For more information about DHAP, residents should call 1-866-373-9509.
The Relocation Program, which has been reinstituted and expanded, is another indication of FEMA's commitment to help residents transition to long-term housing. Through this program, relocation expenses of up to $4,000 are reimbursed to eligible applicants returning to their pre-disaster states. Costs covered include travel and moving expenses, including transportation of furniture. However, assistance is subject to the overall maximum amount of assistance applicants can receive under FEMA's Individuals and Households Program (IHP).
"We have numerous resources in place to help our residents transition to more permanent housing," said Stark, "and as residents work with us, we believe we can help them make significant progress toward a more complete recovery."
| Group Site | Parish | Current # of Households | Estimated Remaining June 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Captain Larry |
Plaquemines |
18 |
3 |
|
Shandy Acres aka Conner Property |
Cameron |
36 |
35 |
|
Davant |
Plaquemines |
41 |
36 |
|
Diamond Community Center |
Plaquemines |
84 |
76 |
|
Renaissance Village |
East Baton Rouge |
85 |
65 |
|
Crying Eagle Park Port Authority |
Calcasieu |
172 |
168 |
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 04-Jun-2008 14:45:24